Mocking/Ridiculing Accent as Evidence of Discrimination

In Kwong v. City of New York, No. 152932/2013, 2020 WL 7360816 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Dec. 15, 2020), the court, inter alia, denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on his national origin discrimination claim asserted under the New York City Human Rights Law. As to whether plaintiff suffered an “adverse employment action”,…

Read More National Origin (Chinese) Discrimination Claim Survives Summary Judgment; Evidence Included Derogatory References to Chinese Food, Accent
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In Siena v. Primo Pizza 84 LLC et al, No. 705179/2016, 69 Misc. 3d 1215(A), 2020 N.Y. Slip Op. 51344(U), 2020 WL 6704163 (NY Sup. Ct., Queens Cty., Nov. 05, 2020), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s national origin-based hostile work environment claim. After summarizing the “black letter” law in this area, the court applied…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; “Guido”, Wise Guy” Remarks & Accent Mocking Insufficient
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In Zheng-Smith v. Nassau Health Care Corporation, 18-cv-2585, 2020 WL 55117486 (EDNY Sept. 14, 2020), the court, inter alia, dismissed plaintiff’s hostile work environment claims alleged under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law. The court explained the black-letter law as follows: Although courts are…

Read More Hostile Work Environment Claim, Based on Mocking of Accent, Dismissed
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From Kho v. New York and Presbyterian Hospital, 2018 WL 4759739 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 30, 2018): The Hospital is entitled to summary judgment on Kho’s hostile work environment claims. These claims appear predicated on: (1) Holmes’ [plaintiff’s manager] comments regarding Kho’s accent and (2) occasions on which Holmes allegedly yelled at Kho. [T]he Court declines to…

Read More Court Explains Dismissal of Plaintiff’s Accent-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim
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In Duarte v. St. Barnabas Hospital, 2017 WL 4082307, at *17 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 13, 2017), the court held that material issues of fact precluded summary judgment for defendant on plaintiff’s disability and national origin-based hostile work environment claim. As to plaintiff’s hearing condition, the court noted: Here, Plaintiff has offered evidence that – during weekly…

Read More Accent- and Disability-Based Hostile Work Environment Claim Survives Summary Judgment
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In Tomizawa v. ADT LLC, 13-CV-6366, 2015 WL 5772106 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2015) (decision adopting Report & Recommendation), plaintiff alleged that his former employer discriminated against him and terminated his employment on the basis of his Japanese national origin, and that his supervisor retaliated against him for complaining of discrimination. From the (adopted) Report &…

Read More Court Dismisses “Accent-Related” National Origin Discrimination Claim
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